I spent a couple of hours at Jamaica Bay wildlife refuge on the morning of July 4, 2009.
I started on the east side. Big John’s Pond had only Wood Ducks and a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. The East Pond was busy with birds but most were too far away to ID with binoculars and recent rains made the edge of the pond too muddy to walk around. Nearer species were Black Skimmer, Mute Swan and Double-crested Cormorant.
The West Pond path was excellent and, amazingly, totally free of biting bugs. There were constant flyovers by Laughing Gulls, Glossy Ibis, Great Egrets and Mute Swans. Two adult and two young Ospreys were on a nest near the bay, and Common Terns were fishing nearby. There were other birds along the edge of the bay but these were too far away to ID.
The sides of the path were very busy with Gray Catbirds, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Tree and Barn Swallows, a Willow Flycatcher and even a Cedar Waxwing. The path also had an egg-laying Terrapin.
The West Pond itself had many Canada Geese and Mallards, plus American Black Ducks, Double-crested Cormorants and a solitary Black-crowned Night Heron. I thought I could also see Blue-winged Teal and Gadwall but I’m not 100% sure.
The path was excellent where it passed by the woodland area: Fish Crows, American Redstarts; lots of Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbirds and American Robins; plus a Marsh Wren. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explore the wooded area.
More details and photos on the July 2009 pages of www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com.
Jeff
I started on the east side. Big John’s Pond had only Wood Ducks and a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. The East Pond was busy with birds but most were too far away to ID with binoculars and recent rains made the edge of the pond too muddy to walk around. Nearer species were Black Skimmer, Mute Swan and Double-crested Cormorant.
The West Pond path was excellent and, amazingly, totally free of biting bugs. There were constant flyovers by Laughing Gulls, Glossy Ibis, Great Egrets and Mute Swans. Two adult and two young Ospreys were on a nest near the bay, and Common Terns were fishing nearby. There were other birds along the edge of the bay but these were too far away to ID.
The sides of the path were very busy with Gray Catbirds, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Tree and Barn Swallows, a Willow Flycatcher and even a Cedar Waxwing. The path also had an egg-laying Terrapin.
The West Pond itself had many Canada Geese and Mallards, plus American Black Ducks, Double-crested Cormorants and a solitary Black-crowned Night Heron. I thought I could also see Blue-winged Teal and Gadwall but I’m not 100% sure.
The path was excellent where it passed by the woodland area: Fish Crows, American Redstarts; lots of Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbirds and American Robins; plus a Marsh Wren. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explore the wooded area.
More details and photos on the July 2009 pages of www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com.
Jeff
